Thousands of French households have been hit by a tax bill that exceeded their
total income last year.

The revelation, in the financial daily Les Echos, will fuel claims that
President Hollande has stifled the economy through his soak-the-rich agenda.

The newspaper reported that 8,010 families paid more in taxes than they
received in income because of his decision to ratchet up the French levy on
wealth. A further 9,910 paid 85 per cent of their income in taxes and 11,960
paid 75 per cent. The losers were households with substantial assets but
small incomes, such as owners of stately